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B M & T ••• January/February 2026 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 47 DELAWARE AREA GUIDES DELAWARE: A COMBINATION OF CULTURE AND SUPERB MEETING SPACE BY SONYA STINSON Delaware's Colonial landmarks, cozy beaches, classic gardens and magnificent estates are within driving distance of some of the most populous U.S. cities, including New York, Philadelphia and Washington, DC. That makes The First State—so called because it was the first of the original 13 colonies to ratify the Constitution—a prime location for a Mid- Atlantic regional conference, board meet- ing or other small to mid-sized event. Attendees can take an offsite excur- sion to one of the Delaware beach towns, known for the clean ocean water that kisses their coastlines. Meeting facilities range from small hotel spaces to a con- vention center with more than 70,000 square feet of flexible event space. WILMINGTON Wilmington, Delaware's largest city, is home to its largest event venue, the Chase Center on the Riverfront. Located along the Christina River in a former World War II shipbuilding facility, the Chase Center contains two ballrooms, a 20,000-sq.-ft. exhibit hall and several meeting rooms and conference areas. Wilmington offers several cost-saving perks for meetings and trade shows, including 1,100-plus complimentary park- ing spaces for attendees, low hotel-occu- pancy taxes and no sales tax on events, shopping and dining. An in-house audio visual partner, preferred show decorating partner, dedicated executive chef and show-floor-level loading docks are on hand to provide planning, technical assis- tance and logistical support for every event. The convention center is connected directly to the 180-room Westin Wilmington Hotel. Guests can explore the picturesque riverfront area on one of the walking, running or biking trails, or board a riverfront taxi cruise for a unique city sightseeing tour. They'll also find a variety of restaurants, museums, live entertain- ment and other attractions in the area. Particularly notable is Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park, named in honor of Harriet Tubman and Thomas Garrett, who were friends, fellow abolitionists and collabora- tors on the Underground Railroad. Beyond the riverfront are notable local attractions like the Nemours mansion and the Grand Opera House. The Delaware Art Museum and The Delaware Contemporary, which showcases modern art, can accommodate small meetings and events. Just a short drive away is the famed Brandywine Valley of southeastern Pennsylvania, known for its spectacular natural scenery and popular historical attractions like the Winterthur Museum and Longwood Gardens. In downtown Wilmington, the 223- room Sheraton Suites contains 8,032 square feet of meeting space, while the 217-room Hotel du Pont boasts 25,000 square feet of meeting space, and the Doubletree by Hilton, with an equal num- ber of guest rooms, offers 23,000 square feet for meetings. DOVER In Delaware's capital city, the largest hotel and meeting venue is the 500-room Bally's Dover Casino Resort. With 13 meeting rooms, the resort can accommo- date gatherings of up to 1,800, with ban- quet seating for up to 1,000. A variety of gaming options, live entertainment, restaurants and bars ensure attendees will have plenty to do after their business ses- sions. For smaller groups, the 98-room Residence Inn Marriott offers a nearly 300-sq.-ft. boardroom along with anoth- er 774-sq.-ft. meeting room. Meanwhile, the Delaware State Fair offers several exhi- bition spaces. Downtown Dover is home to historical and cultural attractions like Legislative Hall, the Biggs Museum of American Art, the Old State House and the Johnson Victrola Museum, with numerous early 20th century recording industry artifacts on display. Venture out a bit further to find other visitor sites such as the Johnson Dickinson Plantation, the Air Mobility Command Museum and the Dover Motor Speedway. WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Visit Central Delaware (302) 734-4888 https://visitcentraldelaware.com/( • • • STATS • • • HOTEL ROOMS Sheraton Suites Wilmington 223 DoubleTree by Hilton 217 Hotel du Pont 217 EXHIBITION FACILITIES Chase Center on the Riverfront Total Meeting Space 21,900 sq. ft. Largest Hall 22,000 sq. ft. Largest Ballroom 12,800 sq. ft. Meeting Rooms 16 WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Visit Wilmington Delaware (800) 489-6664 https://www.visitwilmingtonde.com/ One of the meeting venue's at the Chase Center on the Riverfront